Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Luminary

Luminary , noun

[French luminaire, Latin luminare a light or lamp, which was lighted in the churches, a luminary, from lumen, luminis, light, from lucere to be light, to shine, lux, lucis, light. See Light.]

1.
Any body that gives light, especially one of the heavenly bodies.
Radiant luminary. — Skelton
Where the great luminary... Dispenses light from far. — Milton
2.
One who illustrates any subject, or enlightens mankind; as, Newton was a distinguished luminary.